The main undergraduate funding package in Scotland will rise to £11,400 and post-graduate to £13,900 from the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

Minister for Further and Higher Education in The Scottish Government Graeme Dey said:

“We know that financial stress can be a significant barrier to educational success so it’s vital that we provide this uplift for students, helping them through what are tough economic times.

“This package of measures will help learners to fulfil their potential and delivers on our Programme for Government commitments to increase the student support package to the equivalent of the Living Wage, to introduce a special support payment and to review funding provision for postgraduate students.

“Along with free tuition, this uplift demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to helping students – even as we face the most challenging financial situation since devolution.”

The special support loan will be implemented from 2024-25 Academic Year and be for the purpose of travel, general study and childcare costs – costs disregarded by the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when assessing benefit entitlements. This ensures that students in higher education who remain entitled to welfare benefits whilst they study can access this additional support without any further reduction in their benefit entitlement.

Students will continue to apply for their loan support in the same way and will continue to receive just one loan payment – however the Special Support element will be highlighted on their Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) award notice, which is what DWP use to calculate benefit entitlement.

All universities charge tuition fees for their courses. You can get help to pay these tuition fees if you’re studying an undergraduate course or certain postgraduate courses.

You do not have to pay tuition fees to the university yourself. Instead:

1. You can apply for government funding to pay your fees.
2. The government funding agency you applied to pays the university on your behalf.

In the UK, the government funding agency you apply to depends on which country you normally live in.

If you normally live in Scotland, you’ll apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). SAAS can cover your tuition – whether you choose to study in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK.

Find out who you apply to if you normally live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

There’s no age limit for tuition fees, bursary and living costs grants.

There is an age limit for the living-cost student loan. You must be over the age of 16 and under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course.